How to Start a Business: A Step-by-Step Plan and Tips
You can start your own business from scratch even with a small budget if you follow a plan. This guide brings together practical steps — from choosing an idea and registering as a sole proprietor to first sales and accounting — so that you can launch your business consistently and avoid unnecessary mistakes.
The dream of having your own business comes down to one question: where to start. Below are relevant ideas, a step-by-step plan and current government support tools, as well as tips on how the Torgsoft accounting software helps bring order to sales, inventory and customer work from the very start.
Business ideas from scratch: where you can start
Starting a new business is not an easy task, but the entry threshold today is lower than ever. Think about what interests you and how your skills meet people’s needs. Here are areas that work and require minimal investment at the start.
Online trade. Sales are gradually moving into digital channels, so your own online store or a marketplace page becomes a convenient starting point. Here you can also try the dropshipping model, where the seller does not keep their own warehouse: they develop the platform and work with suppliers who are responsible for storage and delivery. This is an option for those who want to start without large initial capital.
Services and freelancing. If you have a profession, you can provide consulting, repair or construction services, tutoring, design, marketing or copywriting. Platforms such as Freelancehunt or Upwork help find clients. Initial costs are minimal, especially when you work remotely.
Production of unique items. Handmade goods — jewelry, ceramics, decor, natural cosmetics, clothing — sell well on social media and on the Etsy platform. This is a great way to realize creative ideas and reach an international audience.
A retail store or service point. Traditional retail has not disappeared: a grocery shop, clothing or footwear store, pet supplies, coffee shop, barbershop. The main thing at the start is to choose a niche with real demand and immediately set up inventory and sales accounting to see what brings profit.
Before purchasing goods, check demand: look at search trends in Google Trends, category rankings on marketplaces and the problems people discuss in thematic communities. If interest is growing — the idea is worth testing.
How to start a business from scratch: a step-by-step plan
There is no universal recipe, but there is a sequence that reduces risks. Go through these steps one by one — and the chaos at the start will turn into a manageable process.
Step 1. Choose an idea and check demand
Define the niche and make sure there is demand for it. Research competitors: who they are, where they are represented, what their strengths and weaknesses are. This will help you offer customers something more valuable — a better price, more convenient service or an assortment that is missing from the market. Create a customer profile: their needs, habits and doubts before buying.
Step 2. Prepare a business plan
Even a short business plan development disciplines your thoughts. Write down goals for a month, six months and a year, start-up and operating expenses (purchase of goods, equipment, rent, advertising), the expected payback period and launch resources. This way, you will see bottlenecks in advance and understand how much money is actually needed.
Step 3. Choose the form and register the business
The most common form for starting in Ukraine is FOP (individual entrepreneur): you manage your profit independently and do not depend on partners. You can register as an individual entrepreneur online in the «Diia» application — the process takes about 10–15 minutes and requires the electronic signature «Diia.Signature». During registration, choose activity types according to the KVED classifier and a taxation system: simplified (single tax groups) or general. For retail trade and services, the simplified system is usually suitable.
The list of permitted KVED codes and the conditions of single tax groups should be checked in advance: not every type of activity is available under the simplified system. Current requirements are published by the State Tax Service and the «Diia» portal.
Step 4. Find financing
Calculate how much money is needed to start and where to get it. This can be personal savings or government support. The state is developing several tools for aspiring entrepreneurs:
- microgrants «Own Business» within the eRobota project — non-repayable funding for launching or developing a small business; an application with a business plan is submitted through the «Diia» portal, followed by an interview at an employment center;
- the preferential lending program «Affordable Loans 5-7-9%» — loans at a reduced rate for individual entrepreneurs and companies;
- free consultations and educational materials on the Diia.Business platform.
Program conditions are updated periodically, so check amounts and requirements on official portals before submitting an application.
Step 5. Create a brand and choose sales channels
A brand is the face of a business: a name, logo, unified visual style and the platform from which you sell. Then choose channels. Today, a combination of several points of contact usually wins: your own website, a marketplace and social media working as one system. A buyer may start browsing on Instagram and complete the purchase on a website or marketplace — and everywhere they should see the same assortment and prices.
To launch online sales without separate development, Torgsoft Online Market is suitable — a ready-made online store that automatically synchronizes with the accounting software. If you already have a website, the Synchronization with an online store option combines the website and Torgsoft into one system: products, orders and stock balances are managed in one place, so data duplication and errors become fewer.
Step 6. Launch the business and set up accounting
When the preparation is complete, it is time to start selling. The first months can be difficult, so stay flexible and respond quickly to customer feedback. To base decisions on facts, keep records from day one: how much stock remains, what sells best, what profit each item brings. This is exactly where accounting software saves time and shows the real picture of the business.
Repeat sales cost less than attracting new buyers, so the customer database is an asset. The Customer profile and Binotel calls option accumulates purchase history and interests, while Bulk customer messaging sends promotions and reminders via SMS, Viber and e-mail directly from Torgsoft. To encourage returns, Bonuses with a limited validity period will help.
What is important to consider at the start now
The market is changing, and several trends directly affect how to start a business today.
Online is becoming the main channel. According to the annual study «Small Business Sentiment Index» (European Business Association together with OLX and UkrSibbank), marketplaces, social media and own websites have taken the leading positions among small business sales channels, while the share of physical stores has noticeably decreased. More than half of respondents receive most orders through digital channels.
Microbusiness is normal. Almost two-thirds of small entrepreneurs work without hired employees, and about one-third of online stores are developed by the owner alone. That is, starting on your own is a completely realistic scenario if processes are properly organized and routine is automated.
Artificial intelligence and analytics. According to a study of the online trade market by the «Horoshop» platform, about seven out of ten Ukrainian online stores maintained or increased the number of orders, and those actively using AI tools and analytics grew the fastest. The conclusion is simple: data-based decisions give even a small business an advantage.
Advertising costs are rising. Attracting customers on social media and marketplaces is becoming more expensive, so it is important to retain existing buyers — through service, a loyalty program and careful communication. This again brings us back to the value of the customer database.
Examples from Ukrainian retail
The most illustrative example of where trade is moving is marketplaces. Tens of thousands of entrepreneurs with a catalog of more than one hundred million products work on Prom.ua, and the Rozetka-Evo ecosystem brings together more than twenty thousand active sellers. These are large platforms, but the principle also scales to a small store: the seller receives ready traffic and tools, and instead of expensive custom development pays for a place in the system.
The second conclusion from market studies: a significant share of online sellers are microbusinesses that started with one person and a few product items. Their common feature is early automation of accounting and work with repeat sales, which allows them to compete with larger players through service.
Where to start today
- Choose a niche and check demand for it through search trends and marketplaces.
- Calculate the start-up budget and prepare a short business plan.
- Register as an individual entrepreneur through «Diia» and choose the first sales channel you will test.
Complete business launch checklist
- Formulated the idea and checked demand for it.
- Studied competitors and created a customer profile.
- Prepared a business plan with expenses and payback.
- Chose the business form and registered as an individual entrepreneur, defined KVED codes and the taxation system.
- Calculated financing and checked available support programs.
- Created a brand: name, logo, visual style.
- Chose sales channels and set them up as one system.
- Connected accounting for goods, sales and customers from day one.
- Launched sales and started collecting analytics for decisions.
Frequently asked questions
How much money is needed to start a business from scratch
It depends on the model. An online business based on dropshipping or services requires minimal investment, while a retail store requires purchasing goods, rent and equipment. The exact amount will be shown by a business plan prepared for a specific niche.
Can you start without registering as an individual entrepreneur
For legal sales and work with suppliers and marketplaces, entrepreneur status is required. Registration as an individual entrepreneur through «Diia» is simple and takes about 10–15 minutes, so postponing it at the start is not advisable.
Which sales channel should be chosen first
Start with one channel that is closest to your audience — a marketplace, social network or your own website — and scale after the first sales. The main thing is that assortment and stock balances in all channels are synchronized.
How to receive government support at the start
The main tool is the «Own Business» microgrants within eRobota: an application with a business plan is submitted through the «Diia» portal. The preferential lending program «Affordable Loans 5-7-9%» is also available. Always check current conditions on official resources.
How much does the Torgsoft software cost for a new business
The cost of the basic software and individual options depends on the set of features. Current prices and licensing terms are listed on the relevant option pages on the Torgsoft website.
Starting a business from scratch is a task that requires patience, persistence and readiness to learn. Every large business started small. If you act according to a plan and rely on convenient tools for accounting and customer work from the start, the chances of success increase noticeably.
Try Torgsoft in practice: inventory, sales and customer accounting in one program.
Download the demo versionSources
- Grant for your own business — Diia.Business portal. business.diia.gov.ua
- Registration of an individual entrepreneur — Diia portal. diia.gov.ua
- Affordable Loans 5-7-9% — Diia.Business. business.diia.gov.ua
- Small Business Sentiment Index — European Business Association / NV. biz.nv.ua
- E-commerce trends — Forbes Ukraine. forbes.ua
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